The federal government has announced a new migration strategy aimed at attracting skilled workers to areas where they are needed the most, while ensuring a more sustainable infrastructure pipeline to provide certainty going forward.
The plan, outlined by Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews and Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Clare O’Neil, seeks to address the shortage of workers in certain industries by increasing visa processing capacity and expanding pathways to permanent residence for temporary skilled, sponsored workers.
“The idea that we don’t provide a permanent pathway for those skilled workers that we need is quite frankly not serving our country’s interest, and Clare O’Neil outlined the strategy yesterday and we want to work with States and Territories on those issues,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said after the National Cabinet meeting in Brisbane.
During the pandemic, the country’s borders were closed, resulting in a lower population than what was projected prior to the outbreak. However, as the country reopens, the government is seeking to attract the people and skills needed to meet the demand for skilled labour, without putting undue pressure on particular areas of Australia where there has been a concentration in the past.
“We want to make sure we get the right people in the right places in order to fulfill the jobs and the demand that is there for skilled labour and for workforce without putting undue pressure on particular areas of Australia where there’s been a concentration in the past, and that will be important going forward,” said Minister Andrews.
The new strategy also aims to address migrant exploitation and create a permanent pathway for skilled workers that the country needs, while also regularizing the status of New Zealanders living in Australia for more than four years, who will now be able to enjoy the same rights as Australians in New Zealand.
“We in this country have built this country, with the exception of First Nations people, on people coming here for themselves and their children and their grandchildren, seeking a better life, having that security of permanency, which is here. And we want that to happen because that’s the way that you build a better future,” said Minister O’Neil.
The proposed reforms will be developed over the next six months and will be presented to the National Cabinet for consideration later this year.
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The federal government has announced a new #migration strategy aimed at attracting #skilledworkers to areas where they are needed the most, while ensuring a more sustainable #infrastructure #pipeline to provide certainty going forward. #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/eY68D4MomO
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